Presently, the common fluid valve for faucets uses a typical annular washer affixed to a washer retainer located at the bottom end of a valve stem. This prior art washer is typically fixedly mounted to the end of the valve stem by a screw. In operation, in a closed position, the threaded valve stem has been turned to force the washer against the valve seat, shutting off the flow of fluid through the valve. To open the fluid flow, the handle is rotated, in turn rotating the threaded valve stem to allow the washer to be displaced from the valve seat, allowing fluid to flow through the valve and out of the faucet.
In such a typical faucet, the wear on the washer which results from its rotational bearing against the valve seat when the valve is either open or shut eventually requires that the washer be replaced. While the cost of the replacement washer is modest, it is nevertheless desirable to avoid the inconvenience of the need to replace a worn washer. Moreover, the typical valve with a worn washer will be operated in that condition, with a concomitant leaking faucet and associated loss of a considerable amount of water or other fluid, for a substantial length of time before someone is finally motivated to undertake the effort of replacing the washer.
While the prior art may have attempted to address the problem of rotational wear of the washer, such attempts typically have included overly complex designs with additional parts, which may include springs, screws or additional holes. Further, it is not clear that prior art replacement washers, whether or not aimed at the problem of rotational wear, are capable of being retrofit to existing typical valve construction.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a non-wearing washer capable of use between a lower end of a faucet valve stem and the valve seat to selectively seal off the flow of fluid through the valve. It is a further object of the present invention to eliminate the rotational wear of the common washer now typically fixedly mounted at the end of the valve stem by replacing such a washer with a non-fixedly mounted washer which is thus free of rotational wear. It is another object of the present invention eliminating or reducing the need to replace a worn washer, along with eliminating the associated loss of leaking fluid and replacement efforts. It is still another object of the invention to provide a non-rotationally mounted washer of simple design which eliminates the need for additional parts. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a non-wearing washer capable of use in retrofitting existing valves, that is, capable of being used as either a replacement washer or an original washer in existing valve designs.
A further object attained in an alternative embodiment of the subject invention is to provide a non-wearing, non-fixedly mounted valve washer with means to support a fluid filter.
Finally, another object of an alternative embodiment of the present invention is to provide a washer holder adapted to receive a standard, current art washer which, in combination with the washer holder provides the advantages set forth above.